56 
Ol)c .flower (Brower 
April, 1920 
The American Iris Society. 
O UR MEMBERSHIP is constantly increas- 
ing, we should reach the 300 mark by 
April 1st, and the enthusiasm of the 
individual members is a constant pleasure. 
In California, Mr. Mitchel is receiving hearty 
support and it is hard to realize that there, 
the Iris are in full sway. The dwarf pumilas 
are almost past, the rich claret-colored Kochii 
is lingering and with Caterina the Iris cli- 
max is approaching. Minnesota as repre- 
sented by The Northwestern Peony & Iris 
Society is considering in what way co-opera- 
tion with the A. I. S. may prove of mutual 
advantage. 
In the North Central region, Mrs. Samuel 
H. Taft plans an Iris Exhibition, probably in 
connection with the Garden Club of Cincin- 
nati which has done so much to beautify that 
city. During the Iris season, a window dis- 
play on a main thoroughfare will do much 
to popularize the Iris; the plan has proved 
successful at St. Thomas when introduced by 
Dr. F. E. Bennett and is one that gives many 
of our local members an opportunity to get 
in touch with others of similar interest and 
to see varieties that he does not grow. 
Members from Tennessee are the most 
numerous in the Southern district. Mr. 
Bralliar has suggested a planting of Siberian 
Iris near Nashville for study ; at first, this 
seems a small subject but already we have 
over 30 varieties on our check list. In Mrs. 
Katherine P. Wright he has found a willing 
co-worker and her announcement to “ Iris 
Fanciers ” points the way towards a wholly 
informal association of Iris lovers. Briefly, 
an announcement in a local paper calls on 
anyone, who wishes to share the beauties of 
their garden at its prime, to put a notice in 
for the “ Iris Fanciers,” inviting their attend- 
ance at a certain time to see certain varie- 
ties. In addition Mrs. Wright invites them 
to bring cut-flowers to her garden perhaps 
three times during the season for an in- 
formal show. The A. I. S. will offer stock of 
fine varieties as prizes to increase the in- 
terest, and I think the plan might be followed 
to advantage in other places. It is a friendly 
plan, a pleasure to all. 
In the East there will be, we hope, a gar- 
den meeting in the vicinity of Boston, and 
an exhibit in connection with The Mass. 
Horticultural Society. At Flushing, L. I., 
we plan to co-operate with the Park Garden 
Club, and a similar amateur exhibit will be 
held at Tacoma Park, D. C. The New York 
Botanical Garden is to be the site of our 
Test Gardens with a complete collection of 
all varieties, at the Brooklyn Botanic Gar- 
den, Japanese Iris will be studied, and at 
Cornell we plan to assist in the studies of 
Pogoniris that have already been undertaken. 
The Department of Agriculture also re- 
quests our assistance in developing the col- 
lection of Iris at Arlington. The great event 
in this district, however, is the Philadelphia 
show to be held in conjunction with our An- 
nual Meeting about June 1st in the Finance 
Building of the Penn. Hort. Society. 
This is but a brief review; to a prejudiced 
observer, it looks as though there were 
“something doing” and that among these 
plans enthusiastic members may find fruit- 
ful suggestions for action. Owing to the 
recent illness of Dr. F. E. Bennett, I can re- 
port only of the many expressions of in- 
terest from our Canadian friends. 
The work of the committees is also show- 
ing progress ; extremely good papers on 
culture have been received from D. M. An- 
drews and W. F. Christman, and others are 
promised, they will form a valuable addition 
to Iris literature. Mr. Morrison, chairman 
of the committee on Botany is taking up the 
nomenclature of the many hybrids of Tro- 
jana, cypriana, and mesopotamica, three 
species which are inextricably mingled in the 
trade. Mr. Wister has been able, with other 
assistance, to increase the check list to 
about 2000 names and that appears so far 
from the total that no announcement of 
even a preliminary report is possible. 
I wish to thank, on behalf of the Society, 
Mrs. Charles H. Stout, of Short Hills, N. J., 
for the offer of a cup for amateur competi- 
tion. It is a pleasure to find that one who is 
so interested in the Dahlia, extends her kind- 
ness to include the Iris. 
That the A. I. S. plans to establish 
plantings of Iris in many localities is 
known to you all, but without the 
hearty support of each and every mem- 
ber it will not be possible to do this on 
a large scale. We ask YOU to forward 
lists of stock, available for this purpose 
to R. S. Sturtevant, Sec’y. Wellesley 
Farms, 95, Mass., telling, if possible, 
where and when you purchased each 
variety. 
From these lists varieties will be selected 
as required, selecting such as seem to be from 
the most authentic sources and requesting 
the forwarding of the plants as far as prac- 
ticable to the garden in your vicinity. Even 
though you have only a few varieties, among 
them may be one difficult to procure else- 
where. It will be of interest to learn the 
present names of the varieties of old-time 
gardens and each of us will have one or 
more varieties unnamed. Three or, on oc- 
casion, one plant of each variety will be 
sufficient for our purpose. 
A constitution necessarily contains much 
of mere business detail, of absolutely no 
interest to many members. Therefore, I 
present an abbreviated form and will be 
glad to answer any further questions for 
individual members. 
Constitution of The American 
Iris Society. 
Article 2.— The name of this Society shall be The 
American Iris Society. 
Article 2— The object of this Society shall be to 
promote the culture and improvement of the Iris. 
The methods of attaining this object may include: (a) 
The ownership of land and other property, including 
test and exhibition gardens, libraries, photographs, 
lantern slides, etc. (b) The compilation and publica- 
tion of data concerning the history, classification, 
breeding, cultivation and exhibition of Iris, (c) The 
encouragement of Iris cultivation and breeding by 
holding exhibitions of Iris. 
Article 3.— The membership of this Society shall 
consist of (l)activeand (2) honorary members. (As- 
sociate and Affiliated members to be considered at 
Annual Meeting.) 
(1) Any person interested in Iris is eligible to 
nomination to active membership. * * Each 
active member shall pay annually on January 1st 
* * a membership fee of $3.00 for the ensuing cal- 
endar year * * Any active member may become a 
member for life by the payment * * of $25.00. * * 
(2) Eminent persons who have rendered dis- 
tinguished service to the knowledge and development 
of the Iris may, * * be elected honorary members. 
* * * 
Article 4.— Section 2.— The Society shall hold (an) 
Annual Meeting for the election of officers and for 
the transaction of general business * * adequate 
notice shall be given. 
Section 2— Special meetings of the Society may 
be called by the President (on 30 days notice to con- 
sider stated subjects.) * * 
Section 3. -Special meetings of a local character 
(for exhibitions, lectures, etc.,) may be called by the 
Regional Vice Pres, upon notice to all local members. 
Section 4— All exhibitions or meetings involving 
awards by the society, shall be conducted in con- 
formity with the rules of the Society. 
Section 5.—* * The appropriation of money must 
be approved by the Board of Directors. 
Section 6— Ten active members shall constitute 
a quorum. * * 
Article 5.— Section 2.— The officers of this Society 
* * shall be (1) President; (2) Vice President ; (3) one 
or more Regional Vice Presidents ; (4) Secretary; (5) 
Treasurer; (6) Board of Directors consisting of 
above mentioned officers and six other active mem- 
bers. 
Section 2.— Election of officers shall be at the An- 
nual Meeting by Ballot, in person or by Mail. * * 
Section 3.— Regional Vice Presidents may be se- 
lected for any one or more of the following districts ; 
(1) Eastern District, including the states from New 
England to Virginia, inclusive ; (2) Central District, 
including the states of Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, 
Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois ; (3) Western District, 
including the states of Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, 
Montana, Colorado, and all states between; (4) 
Southern District, including all states south of the 
preceding districts, except New Mexico ; (5) Pacific 
District, including Idaho, Utah. New Mexico and 
states to the west; (6) Canadian District. 
The Regional Vice President shall be elected by the 
active members resident within the district as they 
may provide or, lacking such action may be ap- 
pointed by the President * *. 
Section 4— (Two new directors elected each 
year. ) 
Article 6.— Duties of Officers. 
Section 1. — The President shall preside * * and 
shall have general superintendence * *. 
Section 2.— The Vice President shall perform the 
duties of the President in case of his absence or in- 
ability. 
Section 3. — The Regional Vice President shall, 
subject to the control of the Board of Directors, have 
direct charge of all affairs of the Society in his dis- 
trict including all trials, exhibitions, or special meet- 
ings. He shall have power to appoint committees to 
assist him. 
Section 4 . — The Secretary shall keep a record of 
the proceedings of the Society, * * and conduct its 
correspondence. * * etc. 
Section 5.— The Treasurer shall receive and keep 
account of all the moneys and securities of the So- 
ciety, (and so on.) 
Section 6.— The Board of Directors shall, subject 
to the general control of the Society, have care and 
control of its property, the transaction of its business. 
* * The Board * * may * * by majority vote cancel 
the membership of any members when they consider 
that the welfare of the Society necessitates such 
action. 
Article 7. — The Seal. (Left to later action.) 
Article 8. — The Board of Directors may, from time 
to time, adopt suitable By-Laws not inconsistent with 
this constitution, subject to amendment or repeal by 
the Society; and the Society may adopt By-Laws not 
inconsistent with this constitution by a two-thirds 
vote at any meeting. 
Article 9.— This constitution may be amended by a 
two-thirds vote at any meeting, provided that notice 
of the proposed amendment shall have been sub- 
mitted thirty days in advance. 
I wish to call your attention to certain 
points in the constitution. Two forms of 
membership are to be considered at the 
Annual Meeting in June, viz; Affiliation 
and Associate. Register your views on these 
so that even though you cannot attend, 
your wishes may be considered. A ballot 
for the election of officers will be printed in 
the May issue. You may vote by mail. 
Plans for the development of the Society 
were presented in the January Flower 
Grower, the report of the first meeting in 
the March issue, the constitution is before 
you, the time to present any suggested addi- 
tions or changes is the Annual Meeting that 
will be held at Philadelphia about June 1st 
and copy for the May issue of The Flower 
Grower must be in by April 5th. 
There is news that the American Iris 
Society may cooperate in the exhibit 
of The Alameda Co. Floral Society 
near Oakland on April 25-27th. There 
is every expectation that this will be 
accomplished successfully and there 
are also other suggestions for Cali- 
fornia exhibits. 
THE INFINITE VARIETY OF THE BEARDED 
IRISES. 
Many of you appreciate the great 
range of color presented by this 
section of the genus Iris, but I think 
that you will get an added apprecia- 
tion through the report of the work of 
the Committee on Nomenclature of the 
A. I. S. which has already under way 
the issue of a Standard Data Card for 
the accurate description, and subse- 
quent recording of all varieties. This 
will be supplied to all members with a 
